Stillness
by FantomBlack
Summary: He would drive his strength against a mountain and plunge his strength against the sea...but know that the mountain would stand while the man broke himself, and the sea would surge while the man drowned in it. K/N (HIATUS)
1. Prologue

**Hello everyone! **

**First off, I will give you the full summary. Please understand that I must hold back certain details so as not to ruin the story.**

**Summary:**

**When Naruto is captured by Akatsuki and nearly killed in the process of draining the Kyuubi, he disappears, reappearing sixteen years in the past. He witnesses the fateful day when Kyuubi first attacked Konoha. In order to save the village, he must once again sacrifice himself to be the container for the Nine Tails. **

**Now considered a weapon by Danzou and the Council, he must fight the dangers of political intrigue, survive the terrors of a looming war, and somehow try to stay alive in a world that curses his existence.**

**A Note:**

**I realize that Kakashi would technically be younger than Naruto, but for the sake of this story, I will assume that they are the same age - around 16.**

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**Stillness**

**Prologue**

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Don't doubt the fact there's life within you. Yesterday's ending will tomorrow life give you. All that **dies**, **dies** for a reason, To put its strength into the seasons.*

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The beast had broken through the outer walls.

Alarms sounded to warn the villagers.

He was monstrous.

It was the first time anyone had ever seen the living Kyuubi. For centuries, legends of the Tailed Beasts had been passed down in the scrolls of hidden villages. There were even rumors that some of them had been captured and made into slaves to serve Shinobi. But no one had ever dreamed that the most powerful of them would appear in such plain sight to wreak such havoc on the peaceful village of Konoha.

The monster's growls and shrieks caused earthquakes. Each swipe of its claws tore through mountains. It's chakra was a living entity – swirling around its owner and turning into poison gas. It burned whatever it touched – not with flames that could be doused, but with a fire that burned without end. At first, Konoha's defenders had thrown everyone they had against it in an attempt to subdue its savagery. Hardly anyone returned alive. So many had already fallen. Homes, streets, hills, and valleys – everything that Konoha's people called their own – were wiped off the map in a few disastrous hours. Women ran around wildly, screaming for their lost children. People huddled under broken rubble, hoping to avoid further injury from the monster's rampage. Shinobi littered the streets. Jounin were trying to gather teams of ninjas to launch assaults. Some were already heavily injured, others were shaking in fear. No one could have blamed them; even the bravest of men would have been terrified.

In his home, the Yondaime did not need to hear the bells to know that Konoha was doomed.

He'd felt the monster's sickening chakra long before the ANBU had come to him with warnings. It was a horrible time – there could be no worse situation. His wife, Kushina, had gone into labor prematurely just hours prior. Though he knew that he was desperately needed on the front, he feared to leave her side. Never had he felt such raging torment. What was he supposed to do? He held her hand as she screamed in pain; sweat glistened on her brow; she was pale as death. She'd always been a fighter – so full of energy he had trouble keeping her still. Seeing her so depleted terrified him. He knew that giving birth was a difficult and dangerous process, but should it be taking this much out of her? Should she be bleeding so much?

The nurse was yelling for her to push. Every time she did, more blood flowed out onto the bed. Red blood – as red as her hair. It had been – up until this point – his favorite color. Now he watched as it consumed his beloved wife, not sure whether he wanted to curse the baby for hurting her so much or worry about its safety. She must have seen the turmoil on his face, for she looked at him and gave him a brave smile.

"It's alright…" she said in a faint voice. "I'll be alright…"

Under normal circumstances, he would have believed her. She was strong – always, she had been his greatest support. But, looking at her now, he thought she looked to be only a shadow of her former self. It was irrational but, more than the Kyuubi, he feared losing her to their child. Forcing himself to smile for her sake, he squeezed her hand.

"Hokage-sama!" A voiced boomed out behind him. He didn't need to see the person behind him to know who he was. Turning around, he saw his former student kneeling before him, his head down, an ANBU mask covering his face. To think that Kakashi had made the decision to join ANBU; on one hand, the boy's personality suited his position. He was able to coldly rationalize the situation at hand and the objective of the mission was as important to him as protecting his team mates. Secretly, he was proud that his student had taken one of the highest ranks among Konoha's most talented shinobi.

"Kakashi…" Minato said in a low voice. He inclined his head for the man to speak.

"Your presence is needed urgently on the front. We've done all we can but we cannot restrain the beast." His tone was calm, reserved – he seemed aloof, as usual. Had Minato not watched this man grow into manhood, he would never have seen the signs of anxiety in his body language. His student was afraid; the situation truly was dire if even Kakashi was so shaken up. Not that he had doubted it for a moment; his rationale begged him to leave his home and race to help the others, while his emotions and conscience would not allow him to abandon his wife. He grasped her hand a little harder, subconsciously refusing to listen to reason.

"Hokage-sama, is it not your duty to protect this village?" At his student's words, Minato's eyes grew stormy. Any man with any sense of self-preservation would have quaked before the infamous gaze. Kakashi, however, remained kneeling, his head submissively lowered. Frustrated, worried, and torn apart by guilt and anger, the Fourth rose to his feet. He looked at his wife. Perhaps she saw the plea in his eyes; perhaps she simply felt it. There were rumors that the two lovers could read each other's minds. Though they seemed to be complete opposites, they had somehow found their missing halves in each other. For the handsome, powerful, prodigy Minato to have fallen in love with the tomboy Kushina – who had never particularly excelled in the academy – was unthinkable at first. It was only later that those closest to the Hokage and the fiery redhead saw how truly devoted they were to each other.

"Minato…" she whispered. "You need to go now…" Tears of pain glistened in her eyes. The contractions were becoming more and more forceful with each passing minute. "When you come back, you will have a son you can be proud of."

Although everything in his body warred against it, he leaned down, captured her lips in a fiery kiss, and left the room without looking back.

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In the hallway, he was met with several other members of the ANBU. They were all kneeling. He did his best to settle his emotions, knowing that what these men needed now was a leader, not a coward. If they were to defeat this demon, his mind had to be clear. He took a silent, steadying breath.

"Report!"

One of the men – the one in center of the formation – stood from his position and tapped his chest in a formal solute.

"Hokage-sama…the Nine Tails has broken through our outer walls of defense. There isn't much time before it makes its way to the center of the village. We've successfully transferred most of the women and children into the base of the mountain, but if the beast goes any further they are in danger of being killed. We've tried everything but it seems like the monster somehow predicts every move we make. It's as if…"

"Someone is controlling it. There's no other explanation," the Hokage said with some finality. The report was disturbing. More than ever, he felt guilty for having abandoned his people in such a critical time. "What are the casualties?" He felt the men hesitating.

"We haven't been able to keep an accurate count, Sir."

_This is worse than any of us could have believed…_he thought. He brought a hand to his forehead and ran it through his golden hair. _Think, think!_ It was the first time that he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. Kushina was the hot-headed one; she was the one who always jumped into a situation without considering the consequences. How had they switched places? _Get a hold of yourself_ – he commanded mentally. _Now is not the time to panic_.

"Have you searched the surrounding forestry? If there is someone controlling that thing, he should be close by." He looked up at the men. "I realize we are short handed, but send out a team to look around. If we find the one who is behind this…" he paused, his eyes darkening. "…I'll _kill_ him." The men bowed and disappeared in puffs of smoke. He turned to his student.

"We need a team of medics put together as soon as possible. Have everyone bring the injured to designated places around the village. If we have stations, the healers won't be running around arbitrarily and wasting time." His mind was racing, trying to think of a strategy. He'd have to call Gamabunta, of course. Perhaps together they could measure the power of the Kyuubi for themselves. If the monster had something its own size to concentrate on, perhaps he would be distracted from attacking the village. It would buy only a little time, but at least the men would have a breather. "Bring my scroll from the tower," he ordered. Just as he was about to dismissed the silver-haired officer, a scream erupted from behind the door. Heart jumping into his throat, he whirled around and nearly tore the door off its hinges in his haste to enter the chamber.

"Kushina-sama! Please! Don't give up!"

All the nurses were gathered around his wife, some shouting orders, others checking the pulse points on her neck and wrist. One of the women was holding a bundle at her feet. There was so much blood; it covered everything – the sheets, the covers, her legs, the healers' aprons. Her eyes were open but unseeing, staring up at the ceiling with a dull gaze. He felt the color painfully draining from his face. All thoughts of the battle disappearing in an instant, he rushed to her side and shook her shoulders.

"Kushina! Are you alright?" She didn't answer him. Her lips were parted, as if she wanted to say something but the words had gotten lost. He grabbed the healer on the opposite side of the bed by the front of his shirt, feeling absolutely helpless as he shook him violently. "What's wrong? What's happened to her?" A horrible silence permeated the room. Everyone lowered their heads. The man he'd grabbed looked physically pained. Denial, thick and overwhelming, rose up in his chest.

"Hokage-sama…she's…"

No. It wasn't possible. Hadn't he just held her hand? Hadn't he just spoken to her? Hadn't she just been smiling at him gently? His vision tunneled. It was the first time in his life when he felt he could be sick.

"My son…" he croaked through a hoarse voice. "Is he…?" Helpless to stop himself, he turned to look at the tiny bundle of sheets in the nurse's arms. It was still and silent. Horror mushroomed in his chest. His throat constricted painfully. Breathing had become impossible.

"Stillborn…" the nurse whispered, tears trailing down her face.

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	2. Chapter 1

**Wow! This update came much much faster than I thought it would. **

**Hopefully people are liking this...**

**In advance, sorry for typos. I don't have a beta so I will try to fix the mistakes as I find them :)**

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**Stillness**

**Chapter 1 **

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At first, he thought it was a dream – a product of delirium.

One second, he was on the verge of death, and in the next he was standing on a mountaintop, watching as the Nine Tails was devouring his village.

Had he finally died? Had Akatsuki finally succeeded in draining him of the demon? He reached into his center, trying to feel for the Kyuubi's chakra. Usually, finding it was as easy as pinpointing a spot of heat in a pool of ice. He rarely had to go as deep as the gate itself to call upon the red energy. But this time was different. His search yielded nothing. The madness that had always been just on the edge of his mind was completely gone.

At first, he felt a wave of elation. He'd spent his entire life wished that he'd never been given the curse of the demon. Things could have been so different; he could have grown up as a normal child, without dealing with the hatred of the very people his father had saved. But then came logic, and he realized that, without the Kyuubi, he would have been dead already. The demon had saved him countless times, and had given him the opportunity to understand the feelings of people like Gaara.

His thoughts were interrupted by a powerful quaking under his feet. He nearly lost his balance when the Nine Tails roared; the powerful sound shook the mountain's foundations. Although Naruto knew what the Kyuubi was supposed to look like, he could never have expected how terrifying it was out in the open. As he watched the crimson beast tearing everything to pieces, he subconsciously brought his hand to his abdomen, touching his fingers to the place when his seal had once been. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face. Was this really happening?

_Even if this is a dream, I have to do something!_

Clenching his fists at his sides, he steadied himself, took a running leap, and jumped off the cliff. Air rushed at him from all sides. Clapping his hands together to form a seal, he channeled chakra to the soles of his feet. Fortunately, the cliff side had plenty of ridges. As soon as he touched one with his feet, his heels stuck to it and he ran down at blinding speed. It was a rush. He'd always loved how he could use chakra to increase his running speed.

When he finally hit the tree line, he started jumping from branch to branch, following the monstrous roaring. The foliage was thick here; leaves and branches sliced at his skin, stinging as he flew past them carelessly. At last, he felt the beast's chakra. It was too familiar. Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to move faster, though he wasn't sure what he planned to do once he actually came upon the demon. What could he _possibly_ do? In his haste, he nearly lost his footing when he flew out of the forest. The trees ended abruptly.

Then he saw true horror.

Before, he'd seen glimpses of the Kyuubi. Its face was burned in his memory. But _this_?

The thing was enormous. From his place in the clearing, he had to crane his neck almost all the way back to see it. Even then, he only saw its stomach. The thing was waving all nine of its tails, causing a small whirlwind with each swipe. Its claws dug into the ground; the places when it tore open the earth looked like they'd been torn apart by a natural disaster. He saw shinobi everywhere.

_They must be out of their minds_ – he thought as he watched them throwing themselves at the beast. _Nothing can beat that…_

Then it hit him.

_Yondaime…_

He had to be here, too – wherever _here_ was.

A goal in mind, he set off towards the burning village, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. He wasn't certain exactly what he was looking for. He'd only met his father once, after all; trying to find him physically would be a challenge. Then again, from what he'd heard from Jiraiya, only he and his father had golden hair. At least it was something, right? Spreading out his senses, he tried looking for familiar chakra signatures. It wasn't easy; he'd never been particularly good at it.

_Where are you?_

Biting his lip, he tried to ignore the villagers' desperate cries for help.

_Where are you?_

The Hokage's tower was a burning pile of debris. Cursing, he changed direction.

_Where are you?_

Just as he was about to jump from one building to the next, he saw a child wandering around in the street. A large telephone pole was about to collapse and he was right under it.

_Shit…_

Without hesitating, he flew downwards, barely managing to grab the child and slide out of the way of the pole before it fell to the ground. The boy started crying and Naruto flinched. He hated it when kids cried. Urgency not allowing him to offer sympathy at the moment, he patted the boy's head and made sure he wasn't hurt.

"Oh, thank you!" someone shouted from behind. He turned only to have a sobbing woman dash past him, throwing her arms around the wailing child. She looked at him with eyes full of tears and Naruto's breath caught in his throat. Her expression was full of gratitude and adoration. "Thank you, Yondaime-sama!"

He wasn't sure what to say. She looked like she meant it. Maybe she'd received a blow to the head. Sure, he looked a lot like the Fourth, but to be _mistaken_ for him?

_I have to find him!_

With renewed vigor, he resumed his search. There was so much chaos everywhere that he felt himself losing his patience. More than anything, he yearned to help these people. He wanted to be by their side in the battle, especially since he felt somehow responsible for the Kyuubi's actions. However, he knew that the only way to help was to find his father – and fast. As he expanded his senses as far as they could go, he tried to come up with a plan of action. Even if he could assume that this wasn't a dream, that – by some sick, twist of fate – this was actually happening, how would he prove who he was? Would anyone even give him a chance to explain?

At some point, he felt four, rather large and dangerous masses of chakra surround him. With some concern, he saw that four ANBU were following him in formation. _Great, just what I need_ – he groaned inwardly. He desperately hoped that they weren't going to attack. Without the Kyuubi's chakra, he felt weak and debilitated. He'd never realized how…_whole_…he'd felt with it inside him. At the moment, he feared that even a genin could take him down.

"Hokage-sama! We have a report! After searching the forest, we sensed a suspicious barrier. The team sent to investigate did not return. We believe that this is what you were looking for!"

Why were these people mistaking him for the Hokage? What report? What barrier? What were they talking about?

"I'm not the Yondaime!" he shouted over the animal's roaring. He whirled around in mid-air, landing on a broken roof and sliding to a stop. The ANBU members landed around him. His body tensed, his muscles cramping from the overdose of adrenaline. "I need to find him!" he yelled desperately, on the verge of being overpowered by his panic. "Where is he?"

A beat.

"Not the Yondaime?"

Before he could try to explain, the soldier in the center lunged forward. He was so fast that Naruto was knocked backwards just trying to avoid his blade. His movements were unbelievably smooth and efficient. It was all the boy could do to dodge the swinging sword; its blade was white as snow. He couldn't see the man's face behind the painted tiger mask; this only made his attacker seem more vicious. Because he was unarmed, there was no way for Naruto to counter; with a curse, he decided that he had to try to shake these men off.

_Impossible!_ – his mind shouted. These men weren't simple jounin. They were ANBU. Shaking them off would be as impossible as trying to fight the Kyuubi on his own. Several times, the blade nearly cut off his head. The man landed a few clean cuts; they stung so much that Naruto felt tears of pain building at the corners of his eyes. This couldn't be a dream; injuries didn't hurt this much in dreams. This was definitely happening; somehow, he had awakened sixteen years in the past. His mind was racing with a thousands questions – all of which would have to be answered much later. Right now, the ANBU were a big enough problem to try and deal with. At the moment, it was all he could do to try and stay in one piece.

It was in one of these desperate moments that he felt a tug on the corner of his mind. It was faint, but the moment Naruto sensed it he knew he'd found what he'd been looking for. Twisting in the air, he used chakra to push off a gust of wind and abruptly change his direction. A small house caught his attention – a two-story building with a brick-red roof. He flew forward, ignoring the agony as he crashed right through the window.

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Minato wasn't sure how long he would have sat there, staring at his wife's limp hand if something hadn't shattered the large window in the room. At the moment he'd realized that both his wife and newborn son were dead, he thought he'd lost his grasp on reality. Everything that had made sense was turned into complete pandemonium; his world had been flipped upside down. Kakashi had disappeared at some point. Hell – the whole world had. He'd even stopped feeling the earthquakes under his feet. His body felt frozen – numb; he was suspended above a chasm so deep he thought he'd never find the bottom.

"Stop!"

The sound of breaking glass finally snapped him out of his daze. Without his mind having to command it, he immediately flew into a guard stance, bringing out twin kunai to counter the coming attack. Years of training paid off as adrenaline forced all of his focus to the danger at hand. But, instead of someone trying to take his life, he saw something that made even less sense than the events of the past hour. A blurred shape – followed immediately by an ANBU shinobi – rolled to a stop against the wall across the large room, coming to its feet in a swift, agile movement.

_How can this be?_

His mind screamed that what his eyes were seeing couldn't be real.

There, in the center of the room, stood a boy with a shock of golden hair and eyes the color of blue ice. He wore the black jounin-style uniform with a floor-length jacket; on the hem, crimson flames licked against a solid black background. There was a black hitai-ite with Konoha's symbol on his forehead; triple lines marred his cheeks. From the looks of things, he was unarmed. From where he was sitting, Minato could have sworn that it was _him _standing there.

_It can't be…_

For one, the boy looked much younger and he didn't have quite the confidence in his stance that the Yondaime possessed. Secondly, his chakra capacity seemed to be much lower than his own. Had he exhausted himself in the chase? Frowning, Minato tightened his hold on his kunai, channeling chakra into the metal to form the shape of a blade. Three other ANBU soldiers suddenly flew in through the window, landing in a circular formation around the intruder. His eyes wild, the boy looked around; he was at a clear disadvantage. Kakashi was in front of him; the Fourth could already feel the shinobi gathering chakra in the palm of his hand. He was going to use Raikiri.

Was this boy the one controlling the Kyuubi? Had he been discovered? Had he come here to kill him? Why else would the ANBU be chasing him? Sorrow crashed into him with the force of a hurricane. He felt the presence of the doctors behind his back, cowering in fear. On some level, he knew that his wife's body lay there, lifeless and still, but he couldn't quite bring himself to deal with the thought just yet. Instead, he turned eyes full of hatred to the figure across the room. This man had dared to invade his home; had dared to intrude on his grief; and had dared attack his beloved village. If he was, indeed, responsible for today's disaster he would beg for death long before he granted him the privilege.

"I don't have time for you…" the boy murmured. "Take me to the Hokage!"

Kakashi's chakra spiked. The Raikiri cried out with the voice of a thousand birds as it flashed brightly in his palm. Seeing this, the boy looked awe-struck, then confused. His hands lowered.

"Kakashi-sensei?" he asked in a breathless voice.

Recognition? Did the two know each other?

The frustration and urgency melted into hesitation in those blue orbs. Minato's chest constricted painfully. Those eyes reminded him of Kushina. When the boy took a step forward, Kakashi made his move. He leapt forward, stretching out his arm. It was obvious that the stranger hadn't expected this; to everyone's shock, he managed to dodge the coming blow, just barely. Had he hestitated for even an instant, his heart would have been pierced. With a great crash, the silver-haired shinobi broke through the wall and fell into the adjoining hallway, unable to stop his own momentum. The boy had rolled sideways; when he recovered, he immediately crouched into a defensive position, looking utterly helpless without a weapon at his disposal. What sort of ninja ran around without weapons? That was when, at last, the boy caught his gaze.

It was a moment unlike anything Minato had ever experienced. As soon as they locked gazes, he felt a connection between them that ran deeper than their souls. He _knew_ this boy! How? He couldn't be sure. It looked like he was going to say something, but was abruptly stopped by one of the three remaining ANBU attempting to swipe at him with his blade. Again, he managed to dodge, by some miracle, but Minato knew that he couldn't keep it up for long.

"Wait!" the Hokage commanded, raising his hand in the air. The effect was instantaneous. The three soldiers halted and dropped back, their bodies still tense. Not quite ready to let his guard down, he glared at the boy, daring him to try anything. "State your purpose." Mixed emotions flitted over the stranger's face – shock, worry, fear, pain, and finally determination. He reached one hand forward and began gathering chakra there.

"I don't know how to explain this…" he said finally, frustration evident in his expression. "I guess you won't believe me anyway, but we don't have much time. I'm just going to have to show you…"

A blast of pure chakra swirled wildly around the boy; a horrible screech permeated the air. He heard the doctors behind him cry out. They probably feared that they were living out their last moments. With a growl, Minato held his ground, refusing to be forced back by something as basic as energy. What was happening? What technique was this? All he could clearly make out was that the chakra was laced with the powerful wind element. He squinted to try and see past the fierce wind; his breath hitched in his throat.

The ANBU had covered their heads with their arms, probably expecting an explosion. Instead of a blast, the boy stood in front of him, holding a pulsing Rasengan in his palm.

Only…

It wasn't Rasengan.

It was more – so much _more_.

How could a complete stranger have learned his personal technique? He'd never shared it with anyone other than Jiraiya.

"I took what you gave me and added my element affinity to it, just like you planned." His disbelieving eyes caught the boy's determined ones, watching as his lips suddenly stretched into proud, challenging smile. "I've named it the Rasenshuriken."

Minato's hands fell limply to his sides.

"How is this possible?" He looked from the young boy to the churning, modified, Rasengan. "Who _are_ you?"

This time, the boy's smile widened into a broad, sincere, expression that was an identical copy of his trademark grin.

"I'm your son."

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**As always, feedback is treasured :)**

**See you guys soon!  
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	3. Chapter 2

**To all those who reviewed, favorited, and put this story on their alerts list - **

**Thank you! **

**I guess I'm doing _something_ right. **

**I hope that you enjoy this chapter as much as the ones before it. **

**I hope to have your continued support in the future!**

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**Stillness**

**Chapter 2**

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"The man who **trusts** men will make fewer mistakes than he who **distrusts** them..."

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_I'm your son…_

_I'm your son…_

_I'm your son…_

Three simple words.

Three words that, on their own, should have meant nothing…

For the countless time that evening, Minato had to doubt his own sanity. He blinked several times, hoping that the illusion before him would vanish with the simple action. He was trapped in a genjutsu – that _had _to be the explanation. His fingers throbbed where they were clenched tightly against the frigid metal of his kunai; the ground pressed up against his feet. He shifted chakra into them, hoping that he could dispel the illusion and frowned when nothing changed. A bead of cold sweat ran down his neck.

The boy was still standing before him, a spinning, shrieking, tornado of chakra in his hand.

The center's structure was identical to his Rasengan – perhaps only a little less compressed. Embedded within, however, were small blades of wind, probably the boy's affinity; only someone with a very strong elemental presence could have shaped it as he had. The needles spun in random patterns around the heart of the sphere; they would easily shred whatever they hit in less time than it took to blink. He'd envisioned something like this. When he had set out to imbue the Rasengan with his own element, he had known that it would be incredibly powerful.

There was no doubt about it; he was looking at a completed version of his Jutsu – one that he had spent nearly two years trying to perfect. He'd been on the verge of giving up, though Kushina – one of the three _only _people who'd known about his aim – had constantly been there to support him. _Never give up!_ – she would say, smiling that ridiculous smile that could always melt his resolve.

_I'm your son…_

Pain knifed through his heart.

No matter how difficult it was to believe, those determined eyes were Kushina's; that hair color was an unmistakable replica of his own. The way he held himself, the way he spread his feet when he stood straight, that proud angle of his chin, the overbearing self-confidence that attempted to mask the true vulnerability beneath its bluff – all these things reminded him of the day when he had first met his wife in the academy. She'd been a scrawny thing – full of spirit and too reckless for her own good; he'd hated her at first sight. She was the sky to his earth; he'd imagined that they'd never be able to get along without bickering. Yet, somehow, she had wormed her way into his heart and had blossomed into the most vital essence of his life. Frozen, he looked into the eyes of the boy before him and remembered the day she had told him they would have a child. She was a small woman; the doctors had said that there might be complications, but she refused to listen to reason. _I won't give up!_ – she had promised. In that moment, he thought he heard her voice as clearly as he saw her gazing at him from the child's blue orbs.

_When you come back, you will have a son you can be proud of._

Kushina had _never_ gone back on her words.

Gathering his resolve, Minato closed his eyes and tried to compose his thoughts.

Assuming that the boy was telling the truth, there had to be an explanation. If such a thing as time travel _was_ possible, that meant that he was from the future. Yet, by the same token, if that was true, how could he still be alive? His son was stillborn; shouldn't the future entity disappear if its past form was killed? How was it possible, then, that this boy was here? On the other hand, if the boy was lying, who was behind it? Who would go through such an elaborate scheme just to fool him?

_Perhaps the same person who is controlling that __**beast**__…_

His gaze was steady. Outwardly, no one could have known the turmoil that raged inside him. A decision had to be made fast. One of the qualities that had earned him the title of Hokage was his quick mind and the ability to lead others even in a crisis. Right now, he needed to forget the lifeless bodies of his family that lay behind him, to let go of his sentiment, and to focus on the problems at hand. The room was crowded. Although he knew that Kushina was covered up by blankets and that no one could see the face of his dead child, he felt exposed. This was a private moment – an event that only he should have witnessed. To have these men be privy to his sorrow and weakness was unbearable.

"Get out," he said to the surrounding ANBU, his low voice leaving no room for protest. In a flash, they disappeared. Slowly, the chakra in the boy's hand dimmed, sputtered, and died. His brow was covered in sweat. Obviously, the technique had taken a lot out of him. He made a signal for the boy to follow him.

He could feel Kakashi's chakra nearby. For now, he would allow his student to follow him and the boy. Judging by the sheer mass of the energy he was manipulating, Minato accepted that he would need help should he try to turn on him and attack. He walked to the window and prepared to jump outside, but was unable to stop himself from looking back one last time. The medics were still cowering against the wall. Kushina's white face was peaceful; the small bundle of sheets in the nurse's arms was silent.

"Take care of them…" he whispered and was gone.

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As soon as Minato and the stranger made their way outside, the Hokage felt guilt beginning to gnaw at his conscience. They'd already wasted a lot of valuable time; right now, they had to quickly come up with a plan of action. Kakashi was keeping a low profile – jumping much lower than they were and staying a good distance away.

"Father, you need to summon Gamabunta! My name isn't on the contract yet, so I can't do it."

His sudden statement shocked him so much that Minato nearly stumbled. How did the boy know about the master toad? Knowledge of the summoning and controlling of the sacred toads was only passed down from pupil to master – in his case, Jiraiya had allowed him to sign his name on the scroll of contract. When he'd summoned Gamabunta on his first try, the giant toad had been surprised. It took an abnormally large amount of focus and chakra to summon him; in fact, Jiraiya had been the one and only person listed in the scrolls who had actually been able to call upon the giant toad in battle. Taking all of that into consideration, Minato looked at the boy by his side in a new light. Was he implying that he could actually summon the master of all toads?

"Follow me to the tower," the Hokage replied. He would give the boy access to the scroll, if only as another opportunity to discredit him. What would he do with the scroll? Would he try to steal it? There were few that knew of its existence, but those who did wanted its power for themselves. He was prepared for anything. A quick check of his surroundings confirmed that Kakashi was close enough to assist him if the boy should make a wrong move.

Going at top speed, they arrived at their destination in less than two minutes. Fortunately, the majority of the lower floors of the tower were still intact. Minato opened a chakra-protected safe and withdrew the Toad Contract. He tossed it to the boy. Whatever doubts Minato had had about his proclaimed-son's knowledge were wiped clear. Without hesitation, the blonde bit the end of his thumb, unrolled the scroll, and scrawled his name there in clumsy characters.

_Na…ru…to…_

_Naruto…_

If Minato hadn't been holding onto the desk at his side, he was sure that his knees would have given way. Again, the boy displayed knowledge of something only he, his wife, and Jiraiya had known. After giving it a lot of thought, they'd decided to name their son after the main character in the Sanin's book. They'd hoped that he would grow up to be just like that determined, brave, and strong hero. With wide eyes, he watched as the boy closed the document, tied it with the seal, and tossed it over his shoulder, fastening the giant, leather strap around his torso.

"Naruto…" the Hokage murmured, his voice full of awe.

The child's smile was like a flash of thunder – it pierced Minato's heart simultaneously with pride and anxiety. Either this truly was his son or someone had really done their homework. But to what end?

Still, he was hesitant. There were countless ways that someone could have found out such private information as his son's name, the Rasengan, or the use of the Toad Contract. For all he knew, he'd just played into the enemy's hands by allowing this boy to sign the scroll.

Still…

He wanted _so much_ to believe that he was, indeed, his son. No matter how hard he tried to push his immediate emotions aside, the deaths of his family were too prevalent in his heart. He yearned – _needed_ – to believe that this boy was genuine. For a moment, he allowed himself to release his doubt and apprehension and to see the child for what he was – his _son_. He'd blossomed beautifully. Obviously, Jiraiya had had a direct hand in his training; perhaps Minato himself had taught him the Rasengan. He wondered – in this Naruto's universe, was Kushina alive? Had she survived childbirth? Had she been around to put that raw determination into his eyes?

His arms hurt; his body was in physical pain. His heart was telling him to move forward, to wrap his arms around his living son and tell him how _proud_ he was of his growth and achievements. His mind, however, restrained him. He'd always been overly cautious. Not only that, but they were in a war. Someone was controlling the Kyuubi – the _Nine Tails_! That sort of feat could only be accomplished by someone with enormous power and capabilities. Surely, for someone who could keep the beast under their control could easily imitate his son. At this thought, his eyes grew cold. For now, he would resign himself to watching this stranger closely. When the time was right, he would either take his life or do everything in his power to help him.

"Let's go!" the boy said enthusiastically, completely oblivious to the churning emotions in the older man.

They jumped from rooftop to rooftop until they reached the main scene of the disaster. Minato cursed as he was forced to avoid a swishing tail. The enormous appendage smashed the buildings above him; debris rained down from the sky. Thanks to his abnormally quick reflexes, he dodged it neatly. The boy did as well. At last, they landed in a relatively safe place. With more than just a little apprehension, the Hokage looked into the face of the raging Nine Tails. Its eyes glowed a bright red – slitted, black pupils slashed across crimson eyes. Saliva pooled around its impossibly sharp teeth – a row of death – until it leaked to the ground as corrosive acid. It was lean and swift. None of the shinobi had could possibly harm it. The boy was right; the only one who could stand a chance against this thing was Gamabunta.

Knowing that he couldn't hesitate any longer, the Hokage bit his thumb and slammed his hand against the ground. Black seals snaked out from underneath his palm.

"Kuchiose no Jutsu!"

Instantly, he was surrounded by white smoke. He felt the drain on his chakra; his stomach dropped into his feet as he felt himself flying upwards. When the fog cleared, he was standing on Gamabunta's back. Still kneeling, he felt the roughened, bumpy, and slightly wet skin of his companion. Elation filled him, allowing him to momentarily forget about the battle at hand. Over their time together, the giant toad had become like a brother to him. They'd laughed together and had even shared a few bottles of sake over stories about Jiraiya's outrageous behavior.

"_**You always summon me in such troublesome situations!"**_ the frog's voice boomed out. Before Minato could answer, the boy presenting himself as Naruto shouted –

"Oyabun! We need your help to fight the Kyuubi!" With a sound of confusion, Gamabunta turned around, his movements shaking the ground. He eyed the small human with a cautious glare, recognition completely absent from his eyes.

"_**Who are you, boy?"**_ he growled dangerously. Despite the fact that Gamabunta's intimidating glare should have frightened him, he smiled brightly.

"I'm your future subordinate!"

That smile again. How could he remain so confident despite the seriousness of the situation? Both toad master and rider were still for a moment. What was the frog thinking? Was he also uncertain about how to proceed? In appearance, the boy bore an almost disturbing resemblance to the Hokage and didn't seem to have a single dishonest bone in his body. In fact, it was unnatural – the amount of sincerity that radiated from his small frame. Gamabunta's skin shifted beneath his feet as the frog's face shifted into a frown.

"_**And what is your plan?"**_ The frog's eyes rolled upwards to look at his rider. _**"You better have a plan. If you don't then I'm going home."**_ Helpless to stop himself, Minato released an irritated sigh. Even now, the master frog was as grumpy and uncooperative as ever. Even since he and Jiraiya had disagreed on something – the older man had yet to tell him what – the toad had been hesitant in helping humans.

"We _do_ have a plan!" the boy shouted. Surprised, Minato watched him carefully. His shoulders were squared, his stance rigid, his fists clenched at his sides. Whatever he was going to say was important. "Father…" he began. Minato saw him take in a deep breath. "You have to seal it inside me."

"_**What?" **_Gamabunta yelled, expressing both his and the toad's shock.

"The Kyuubi! You _have_ to seal it inside me! It's the only way to stop it!" He flexed his arm, stretching it forward. That same, familiar, shrieking pierced the air. In less time than it took to blink, that thing that the boy had named the Rasenshuriken was swirling above his palm. He lifted it to the sky; Minato saw that he was gritting his teeth. He realized that he was straining to hold onto it. Using his senses, he discerned that his chakra levels were unusually low. A crease marred his brow. Should the boy release that attack, he would be rendered immobile.

In response to the enormous amount of chakra gathered in one space, Gamabunta shied back; the Hokage, not expecting the sudden movement, nearly lost his balance.

Then the boy's words really hit him. Seal it? Seal the Kyuubi inside _this kid_?

His mind ran in a thousand directions at once. Considering what he knew of the beast, its chakra consisted of two sides. Just like the flame and the shadows within it, the Nine Tails' chakra contained both a light and dark side. The positive portion – if sealed into a being – could possibly give them enormous power. As soon as he remembered that, he recalled the Third warning him of a man called Danzou and his theory that the nine legendary beasts could be sealed into human beings.

_Jinchuriki_ – Minato recalled.

The Council had supported Danzou's plans, but the Third had cut him off short. If the host survived the merge, his power would be coveted by other nations. Should anyone find out of the existence of such a weapon, the war would break out anew. He asked the Council to recall the tragedies of the previous great conflict. Hadn't they lost enough already? Was attaining power important enough to risk the lives of Konoha's people? Danzou had insisted that it was. He'd called the Third Hokage an incompetent pacifist. While he was busy trying to defend peace, other nations would attack. In fact, he provided evidence that other hidden villages were already creating their own Jinchuriki.

_So, Danzou, you are behind this…_Minato thought darkly. Several feelings assaulted him at once. Anger, hatred, the need for revenge, and finally – a pain that knew no end. He watched the boy's movements, working to memorize every feature on his face. His son might have looked like this, but just like Kushina, he had been stolen from him. The Kyuubi roared and smashed one of its tails into the carved faces of Konoha's leaders. One by one, they fell as cracked rubble to the ground. Had the Kyuubi not attacked the village, Kushina and his son may have survived. Had Danzou not been so hungry for power, this entire conflict may have been avoided.

In that moment, his revenge was decided.

_I'll give you what you want, Danzou. I'll give you the Kyuubi – only you will never have the chance to use it for your own gain…_

"Alright…" Minato said. Gamabunta grumbled, obviously surprised that the Hokage would agree to such an incredulous plan. He wished that he could have reassured his companion, but silence was better in this case. Let the foolish boy believe that he was succeeding. He would seal the Kyuubi in his fragile body; but instead of splitting the chakra, he would allow the negativity to consume his soul. No human body could possibly contain so much horrible chakra. Even if he _did_ survive, he would slowly sink into madness and eventually die.

His mind ran through several seals that he could use. If he had wanted to split the chakra, he would have had to give his life to seal the darkness in himself. But, because he was only transferring the entire entity from one place to another, he could easily use the Shiki Fuujin – the eight trigram seal – to capture the Nine Tails' chakra and imprison it in the boy's body. The technique still posed a great risk. The drain on his own chakra would be immense. Since he had already summoned Gamabunta, any other large techniques could kill him. Still, it was worth it. The Kyuubi would be taken care of and Danzou's plans would be foiled. He would risk much more to save Konoha.

"I'm going to buy you some time!" Naruto suddenly declared, his eyes shifting towards the raging beast. Foolish boy, to trust so easily. He smiled up at him and prepared to jump forward, probably to take his place beside him on Gamabunta's back. If the toad could get them close enough to the fox, he would only have a few seconds to perform the technique. Silently, he began forming the required seals.

A strangled sound caught his attention. There was no way he could have anticipated what happened next.

On some level, Minato supposed that he couldn't have blamed Kakashi for misinterpreting the situation. From a distance, it must have looked like the boy was trying to attack the Hokage with his monstrous attack. With the speed and efficiency that was unique to the ANBU, he jumped from his hiding place and rushed at the youth. The Hokage could only watch in mute shock as the boy tried to turn around, to somehow move out of the way. But, it was too late. The tornado of chakra in his hand restricted his movements; it slowed him down enough to make him an easy target.

Immobilized by shock, the Hokage motionlessly watched as Kakashi's Raikiri tore through the boy's vulnerable chest.

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	4. Chapter 3

**Oh my gosh! **

**Thank you so much for all the wonderful reviews and favorites/alerts!**

**When all the comments started pouring in, I couldn't sit still. I just knew that I had to update as fast as possible!**

**Here's the next installment. Sorry it took me so long. School is keeping me very busy.**

**Hopefully I won't disappoint everyone : )**

**To answer a frequently asked question****:**

**Both Naruto and Kakashi are the same age in this story – about 16.**

**I shifted the time frame a little to allow for that. I really hope that this doesn't make anyone angry.**

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**Stillness**

**Chapter 3**

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"Every act of **creation** is, first of all, an act of **destruction**..."*

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All around, he could hear the sound of a thousand birds in the ecstasy of flight.

The Chidori …

How aptly it was named.

Though, he would have thought that something with such vibrant energy would be hot.

Instead, he felt like he had been submerged into an icy lake.

The air was frozen in his lungs, each breath becoming a thick, heavy, ball of steam as it left his windpipe.

He couldn't feel the pain in his chest; he could only _see_ it. His eyes could just make out the hissing lightning-shaped chakra burning the skin there.

_He missed…_Naruto thought incredulously. _He missed my heart…_

But only just.

And what did it matter, anyway? He could already feel the darkness looming over his consciousness. Any minute now, he would pass out and all his efforts would be wasted.

_No! I can't! _

The Rasenshuriken wavered in his palm. He kept it alive with sheer will. Without the Kyuubi's chakra, he wouldn't be able to form another one, and without this attack, they wouldn't stand a chance. He had hoped to buy the Yondaime some time to prepare the seal. While Gamabunta held the fox in place, Naruto could deliver the blow. Then, while the beast was stunned, his father would be free to trap him. He'd been prepared; adrenaline had already filled every muscle in his body. But then, something had gone wrong.

He was stopped in mid-jump. The shock had been great enough to disorient him. At first, he thought that he must have been knocked back by one of the Kyuubi's tails. He'd had trouble breathing and his limbs were not responding to his mind's commands. Then, the sound around him seemed to disappear – all sound except for the steady breathing at his back. _His_ breathing. Like before, he recognized his teacher's all too familiar chakra.

His teacher…

Was it so far-fetched to think that they were one in that moment? When he moved to inhale, he felt the man's hand shifting against his muscles. Why wasn't he withdrawing?

"Ka…kashi-sen…sei…" he whispered, feeling blood rising up into his throat. Had his lungs been hit? If so, then he didn't have much time. He coughed up bloodied mucus, _willing_ his vision to focus on Gamabunta and the man on his back. What had just happened? Why had his teacher attacked him?

"You will die before you lay a hand on the Yondaime," a lethal voice whispered in his ear. "I don't know _who you are_, but you signed a death warrant when you attacked this village."

What was he talking about? Attack Konoha? The very idea was preposterous. A sudden realization hit him. In order to seal the Nine Tails, wouldn't the Hokage have to give up his life? The knowledge was vague in his mind. Naruto had only heard about the events of this night in brief spurts of conversation. Even Jiraiya had been unwilling to reveal the truth of what had happened on the night the Fourth had died. Perhaps it was to protect him. Ever since Naruto had found out about his father after his defeat of Pein, he had pored over countless scrolls and books in an attempt to find out what seal he had used to imprison the fox inside his body. Perhaps the old pervert had known that Naruto would want to find out and feared that he would try to release the seal.

It was true – he _had_ considered that at one point. Controlling the Kyuubi had become more and more difficult with each passing season. The stronger he became, the more power the Nine Tails accumulated. And then, with Sasuke joining Akatsuki and lending them his Sharingan, Naruto had known that possessing the Nine Tails was equivalent to signing for his own execution. He'd researched the matter thoroughly, but had come up with the same conclusion over and over again. There were several ways to break the seal, but all of them lead to the death of the host. Just as the forming of the seal sucked away the life of the one performing the technique, so would undoing it drain the life of the one who was sealed.

His father's face was unreadable; why wasn't he doing something? Why was he just standing there? When Naruto had told him of his plans, he'd seemed to agree. Though, now that he thought about it, it seemed suspicious that he had been so ready to give up his life based on the words of a stranger.

_Wrong_…his mind tried to reassure him. To this man, he shouldn't have been a stranger at all. He was his _son_!

_You have no proof_…he told himself. _Nothing concrete, anyway_…

So, why had the man agreed to help him? Hell, he'd even smiled back at him.

_He called my name…_the boy remembered fondly.

He'd taken him to the Toad Scroll and had watched as he'd signed his name in his own blood. In that one instant in the Hokage's tower, his father had looked at him with pride. For Naruto, that had been a magical moment. How many times had he imagined his parents calling for him? How many times had he wondered what his name would sound like on their lips? And, like a dream come true, there it was –

_Naruto…_

But now, he began to doubt. If his father truly recognized him, why was his face so impassive? Why wasn't he reacting? He'd just been attacked; he was coughing up blood; he was _dying_! Yet, still, he stood silent, emotions completely absent from his features. Had he counted on this? Had he somehow coordinated this with Kakashi? It was safe to say that his teacher hadn't trusted him from the beginning; his body bore cuts of various sizes from the man's blade. If the Hokage had somehow commanded him to kill Naruto, he would not have hesitated.

_This is bad…_He hadn't counted on this when he'd rushed into Konoha to try and save the day; he'd been so busy looking around for enemies that he hadn't stopped to consider that he hadn't yet made allies. And what could he have expected? A monster was ransacking the village and someone shows up out of nowhere, claiming to be the grown son of the Hokage – naturally, that would sound suspicious. And, naturally, he had completely failed to foresee the obstacles before he leapt into the rushing current of the problem.

"Kakashi!" the Hokage bellowed suddenly, anger crossing his face. That stupid, futile, hope flared up in him again. Surely, now his father would come to his defense. Surely, he would somehow fix the situation, as impossible as it seemed. Foolish though it was, Naruto desperately wanted to believe that he hadn't made a fatal mistake. It was one of his most devastating flaws – the belief that all people were naturally good and could understand each other if they were given half a chance. But, without acknowledging the boy's hopeful eyes, the Fourth turned away."Take him and follow us!" he commanded.

With a rough jerk, Kakashi withdrew his hand from the boy's shoulder. The pain was more horrific than anything he'd ever felt before. Coupled with the stinging of the cuts on his arms and legs, it was almost unbearable. Over and over again, he dubbed himself a hopeless idiot. Of _course_ his father wouldn't do anything. How could he? Even if he _did_ believe in him, what could he have done to save him from such a grievous wound? Though he tried to reason with himself, he couldn't help but feel betrayed. He'd seen Kakashi's coldness directed towards their enemies before, but had never imagined that he would feel it pointed in his own direction. And his _father…_

The Rasenshuriken withered and died, just as the final hope shriveled in his heart. He hadn't realized that his teacher's hand had been the only thing keeping him standing; as soon as it was gone, Naruto fell forward, almost hitting the ground before he felt a pair of arms roughly pulling him up. As though he was in a thick fog, he felt his former teacher toss him on his back. It was warm – possibly the only warm thing left in his immediate vicinity. Strange, that, for he was certain that the man carrying him wanted nothing more than to kill him in cold blood; even with his senses weakened, he couldn't miss Kakashi's malicious killing intent.

They followed Gamabunta's erratic leaps through the air. Through his haze of agony, Naruto could only feel Kakashi's strong arms supporting his legs. Without that grip, he would have fallen. At blinding speed, they reached the Kyuubi, landing on the rooftop of a broken building just below its stomach. The great beast looked down in that moment, narrowing its enormous, red, eyes. It opened its mouth and roared, sending a powerful blast of wind and chakra flying their way. He didn't have the strength to try and brace himself against it; Kakashi was caught off guard and nearly let him slip but recovered quickly.

Gamabunta leapt forward and shot a bullet of oil in the monster's face. It might as well have been a pellet, for all the good it did. Though, in comparison to a human man, the bullet was as large as tidal wave, when the attack hit the fox, it was only large enough to blind it in one eye. The monster howled in pain and fury, opening its great maw and spitting out flames. Several blurred shapes flew in front of the Hokage, shielding him with barriers of chakra.

At the Hokage's signal, Kakashi sprang forward and deposited Naruto on the ground. He saw his father's hands moving through complex seals at blinding speed. The chakra around him was spiking, building, and writhing in preparation for the coming technique. Then, a horrible pain. The Yondaime's hand slammed down against his chest – right on his solax plexus – and his world was filled with flame.

A large, hulking mass of black shadow emerged behind his father's back. It was a faceless demon wearing a white mask. With eerie howling, it reached forward and wrapped white, ghostly, arms around the fox's body. A flowing kimono was wrapped around the figure's shape; the sleeves were long and billowed outward. Just for a split second, the hem of one sleeve brushed against Naruto's cheek. The place that it touched turned deathly cold; his heart seemed to shiver with unspoken trepidation. This thing was _death_ – he knew it as surely as he knew its purpose. He heard the Kyuubi growling and hissing as its chakra was forced into Naruto's human body. It was useless. _Nothing_ could resist those arms or that blood-chilling howling; not even the Nine Tails could stand up to death when it was so intimately wrapped around its body. Slowly, the previously indestructible body of fox began to dissolve into transparent chakra.

The energy seemed to fill every one of his blood vessels; it spread like wildfire through his veins and muscles, through his pores and his skin. The feeling was one similar to falling from a great height, only instead of fear, one could only feel pure ecstasy. He saw Kakashi's face above him. Through the transferring vision of the Nine Tails, it seemed so much whiter and more defined. He tried to recall if he'd ever seen his teacher in this sort of light, but couldn't recall any memories beyond the past few hours. His mind was still trying to break past the knowledge that his father was about to give up his life for the safety of Konoha and couldn't help but ask – was the village worth the sacrifice?

Was Konoha worthy of living on at the cost of his father's life? At the cost of _his_ own life? He knew without doubt that, despite the change in the villagers' attitudes in the past few years, he could never be accepted as a true part of the whole. He would always be an outcast, and if he _did_ manage to survive this merge – again – then he would be just as shunned as he had always been. Could he live through that again? Could he bear to be rejected after he'd spilled so much of his own blood towards the cause of acceptance?

He wasn't sure any more…

Now that he was watching his father's courageous act with his own eyes, he really wasn't sure…

But, soon, those thoughts were stolen from him too. The amount of rushing chakra in his ears tuned out everything. The feeling was all too familiar. It was the same sort of sensation that he experienced when the Kyuubi's chakra leaked from the seal. For the past several years, in his training, he had pushed himself beyond his limits and had nearly lost his sanity too often.

But this time, something was different.

There was _too much_ energy – so much that he felt he might drown in it. Normally, the Nine Tails chakra hurt him when he used it, but this chakra was on the verge of tearing him apart. When he focused his vision on the rushing tide of power, he saw it was almost black. In his research, he had learned that the tailed beasts – particularly the Kyuubi – were split into two halves of chakra – a positive and negative half. He'd assumed that his father had only sealed away the positive half in him in the past…

But not now…

Realization hit him cold and hard. He looked at the older man before him with eyes no longer clouded with innocence. This was real; this was happening; this man truly distrusted him and wanted him dead. If he managed to seal the black chakra inside him, Naruto's body would be torn to shreds.

"Father…why?"

The man before him wavered. His skin was turning grey, his brilliant, blue eyes fading to a dull azure. Yet, still, those tired eyes were filled with hatred. Even as his life was leaving him, he had enough resolve to feel that.

"You are an imposter," he replied with hard finality.

This time, the pain of his injuries and the boiling chakra in his veins seemed to be completely insignificant. This time, he understood that all the pain he had ever felt up until this moment had meant nothing. There could be no worse agony than the torment of being rejected by your own kin.

The words were hot coals in his throat.

The ground stopped shaking; the howling ceased. He watched, horrified, as his father fell forward, his face drained of life, his lips already turning grey. The howling god of death faded into nothingness. Naruto's chest pulsed with heat. In less time than it took to blink, Kakashi was at the Hokage's side, his eyes filled with more emotion than Naruto had ever seen.

"Hokage-sama!" he shouted desperately.

_No…not like this…_Desperate, Naruto forced his uncooperative body to roll over. What had he done to deserve this – to meet his father only to watch him be torn away? Better that he'd died in the hands of Akatsuki than face this sorrow…

"Tell me what to do, Sensei…" he heard Kakashi murmur. "What should I do?" All the ANBU formality that had been wrapped around the man like an impenetrable cloak fell away. He gripped the man's hand as if it was a lifeline; it was trembling.

"Don't let…" already, his father's voice was fading. Kakashi leaned in closer. "Don't let the Council take him…" He whispered it, but Naruto heard him clearly.

"Father…" the boy called out weakly. The Hokage turned his head and glared. As he watched helplessly, the man's pupils widened. It was pivotal, seeing the light of life leaving his eyes.

"My son is dead…" he responded with his last breath. His body went limp. He died just like that, looking not _at him_, but _through_ him. Naruto closed his eyes and felt all strength and will to fight completely disappear.

If this was a twisted nightmare, he would awaken from it shaken and badly scarred.

If this was truly happening, then there was no longer any need to resist or to think of the future. If he lived through this ordeal, there would _be no _future to think of. There wouldn't be a single soul that would acknowledge him; there wasn't enough resolve left in him to try and force anyone to feel otherwise. Out of all the people that had ever ostracized him, his father's rejection hurt the most. After sixteen years of climbing, he'd slipped and fallen just as he was about to reach the peak of his journey. He'd gone from a point of near success to a point of guaranteed failure. Although he shouldn't have seen anything but the back of his eyelids, he could still clearly see his father's blank eyes - frozen in denial of his son.

Denial - he should have been used to it. He'd lived almost his entire life battling the denial of his very existence.

Yet, he still quaked inwardly at the thought of having to see another person act as if he wasn't there...

_I'm a ghost_…

_There is no purpose to my life… _

And with that thought, he spiraled into stillness.

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**I kept reworking this chapter and changing things over and over again.**

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